Case keeps growing against accused sex-killer Russell Williams
By Gary Dimmock and Linda Nguyen , Canwest News Service - April 30, 2010 7:31 AM
It was the one house where the burglar literally covered his tracks in the snowy backyard in December 2008, putting on the vacationing homeowner’s boots to stomp over his own footprints before going back in through the patio door and searching high and low for women’s lingerie.
He finally found it, tucked away in the upper shelf of a closet in the spare bedroom. He walked right past money and jewelry and then tried, unsuccessfully, to hack into the home computer.
He left through the front door and, when the neighbours saw it wide open the next day, they called police.
It was just one of 34 lingerie break-ins in Orléans that Ontario Provincial Police have pinned on accused sex killer Russell Williams, 47.
The disgraced former commander of CFB Trenton, already facing first-degree murder charges in the sex killings of two women, was charged Thursday with 82 break-and-enters — 46 in Tweed, Ont., where he has a cottage, and two in Belleville, along with the 34 in Ottawa.
Police say Williams targeted homes in the Fallingbrook neighbourhood of Orléans, where he lived with his wife until last fall. Police say he targeted several homes on Wilkie Drive, where he lived for about 10 years and where he was often seen walking with his wife, hand in hand.
Other times, he would be seen alone, jogging. Police say he was casing his targets, all women.
They say the intruder never left fingerprints and stole women’s lingerie exclusively.
In a lengthy interview on a Sunday in February at Ottawa police headquarters, Williams allegedly directed detectives to so-called trophies at his new home at 473 Edison Ave. in Westboro, including photographic images and more than 500 pairs of women’s underwear taken in break-ins.
Some of the evidence, according to a search warrant linked to the murders and sex assaults, included items such as photographs, thongs, bras, panties and baby blankets.
In one Orléans home, the intruder took undergarments not only from a mother’s bedroom, but also from her daughter’s. In that home, the intruder collected all the photographs in the teenager’s room and placed them on her bed, spreading them out like a deck of cards.
The rash of lingerie break-ins in 2008 left the neighbourhood on edge. Many installed surveillance systems and Ottawa police launched an undercover operation with the hopes of catching the burglar.
Detectives feared the crimes could escalate specifically because of their sexual overtones. They deployed undercover officers in unmarked cars and had officers posing as late-night strollers.
The intruder they were looking for always popped back or side windows to get in. And, as if the homes had been cased, the crimes occurred at night when the women were away. Police feared the late-night burglar with an underwear fetish would go from break-ins to home invasions with women as targets.
Williams is charged with first-degree murder in the sex killings of Cpl. Marie-France Comeau, 37, a military flight attendant, and Jessica Lloyd, 27, of Belleville. The sex killings happened a year after the lingerie break-ins in Orléans. On Feb. 8, Williams allegedly led them to the body of Lloyd, who had last been seen Jan. 28.
Williams is also charged in two home-invasion sex assaults that happened within walking distance of his lakeside cottage in Tweed. In those cases, he is accused of breaking into the victims’ homes, tying them naked to chairs, blindfolding them, then sexually assaulting and photographing them.
Ontario Provincial Police began focusing on Williams in early February after they matched tire tracks to his Nissan Pathfinder.
On Thursday, Williams, who still collects a military salary of almost $12,000 a month, appeared in court on the new charges.
He appeared serious, stood straight and clearly replied that his name was “David Russell Williams,” when asked to do so by the judge.
Through his lawyer, he requested that the new charges against him not be read aloud in court, but did not give a reason why. The judge complied with the accused sex killer’s request and the disgraced colonel thanked the jurist.
His next scheduled court date has been set for June 24.
He has not entered a plea on any of the charges.
Lt.-Col. Tony O’Keeffe, representing the military, attended the court hearing. O’Keeffe, who has known Williams and his wife for years, said just 10 days ago he visited Williams, who reportedly attempted suicide earlier this month.
“I think he’s getting better,” he said outside the courtroom. “I think time, I guess, cures all. He looks better to me.”
O’Keeffe said he’s visited Williams three times and plans to ask him about the new charges. He said it was difficult to get Williams to open up about anything.
“(I talk to him) through very artificial means. It’s like talking through a brick wall. It’s very secluded and time is a restriction,” said O’Keeffe. “He’s under guard. He’s in prison … I mean it’s not designed for fun time. It’s cold and I just want to get out of there when I’m in there myself.”
O’Keeffe said his visits are meant to update Williams on the military involvement in his case.
“I discussed his administrative (military) review and the fact that we’re in, I suppose, a holding pattern while the investigation unfolds,” he said. “People are being quiet about the whole thing.”
If the accused sex killer pleads guilty or is found guilty, the military will request that he pays back the salary he’s been paid since his arrest.
During the visits, Williams asked O’Keeffe about his family, but is not eager to learn more about the outside world. He didn’t know if Williams’ wife or any other soldier has visited him since his February arrest.
O’Keeffe said he didn’t think Williams still sees himself as a military man, but said that he was being treated “fairly” in jail by the staff and other inmates.
The Ontario Provincial Police is leading the Williams investigation, with help from Ottawa police, Belleville police and the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service. OPP Sgt. Kristine Rae said further charges could be laid, as the investigation is continuing.
A newspaper reported earlier this month that Williams had been placed under 24-hour suicide watch following a failed attempt to take his life.
The Kingston Whig-Standard reported Williams tried to kill himself by jamming a toilet paper roll stuffed with cardboard down his throat. Cardboard and foil were found jammed in the cell door in an effort to stop staff from entering during the attempt. He had also reportedly written a suicide note in mustard on the wall.
Williams had reportedly gone on a hunger strike and was acting like a prisoner of war, only responding to questions by authorities with his name, rank and serial number.
Gary Dimmock writes for the Citizen. Linda Nguyen writes for Canwest News Service. With a file from Global News
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